Tuesday, 23 December 2008

Tech Tuesdays on Empty Streets: Samsung NC10

The Samsung NC10 has joined in on the netbook market and is fighting neck and neck in terms of specs with the leading brands such as ASUS EEE PC, MSI Wind, Acer One, and Dell Mini 9. And with a lot of similarities amongst the brand Samsung may just be a good option for many that are opting to purchase one of these little laptop wonders. Powered by the Hyper Threading Processor Intel Atom this is definitely going to prove to be highly aggressive in the market.

Here are the specs for Samsung Nc10:
1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 160GB hard disk, Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics, 10.2in 1,024 x 600 TFT, 1.3mp webcam, VGA, 3 x USB, SD/SDHC/MMC card reader, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, 802.11bg, 10/100 Ethernet, Windows XP Home, 1yr International warranty, 261 x 186 x 37mm (WDH), 1.31kg

Amazing isnt it for such a small little thing - but dont just stop there here is a product review from Laptopmag


Now with all that being said our full assessment based on form, functionality, cost, and durability/support we will give the Samsung Nc10 an 8.0.

Hope you found this review of the Samsung NC10 Useful as you prepare to buy a new laptop or gadget. Please come back daily as there is definitely more topics to come. till then... xoxo
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Monday, 22 December 2008

Music Monday on Empty Streets: Featuring Mama Mia Sound Track

I have to apologize for not being able to drop on Entrecard for my friends this past weekend - had so many several weddings this time with my sundays and saturdays fully booked. But since it is a matter of weddings I would like to share with you this fabulous movie that remade the soundtracks of ABBA and made it into a wedding comedic musical. Am sure that after hearing the video soundtrack here you would find yourself going out buying the DVD too :) I have to thank Monica of Turn U Off for requesting this amazing movie that the entire family is definitely to enjoy. :)

Here's the Song Medley for the Movie :)

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Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.



Saturday, 20 December 2008

Sports Saturdays on Empty Streets: Herman Edwards Wont Quit



Herm Edwards has confiirmed that he is not resigning even though the past season of 21 out of 23 losses has affected his track record. This is according to news on ESPN today. However though he has a little over a year left on his contract with the Kansas City Chiefs and how his future will be still remains a bit uncertain as of now.



One thing though is for sure he has to learn to cope up with a new General Manager as the former Carl Peterson had resigned.



Here's his explanation on why he has drafted younger players during a press interview.



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Thursday, 18 December 2008

Food Fridays on Empty Streets: Gingerbread Man Recipe

It is xmas time again and no other recipe dessert screams christmas celebration unlike the Gingerbread Man. Now this little fabulous dessert wouldnt be so popular if it wasnt a fun thing to make as well. :) So I have a cool family recipe for you to try and have fun with as well as an alternative video tutorial for those that love to watch as they cook :)

Things that you'll need:

For the Cookies

  • 3 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (room temperature, softened)
  • 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
  • 1 Tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
  • Optional raisins, chocolate chips, candy pieces, frosting

For the Icing

  • 1 egg white
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
Procedure:

1 In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.

2 In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in eggs and molasses. Gradually add the flour mixture; combine on low speed. (You may need to work it with your hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.) Divide dough in thirds; wrap each third in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. Before rolling out, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. If after refrigerating the dough feels too soft to roll-out, work in a little more flour.

3 Heat oven to 350°. Place a dough third on a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper or wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate again for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to cut out the cookies. Use either a cookie cutter or place a stencil over the dough and use a knife to cut into desired shapes. Press raisins, chocolate chips, or candy pieces in the center of each cookie if desired for "buttons".

4 Transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Bake until crisp but not darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit a few minutes and then use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Makes 16 5-inch long cookies.

Icing

The traditional way to make Royal Icing is to beat egg whites and lemon juice together, adding the powdered sugar until the mixture holds stiff peaks. With modern concerns about salmonella from raw eggs, you can either use powdered egg whites or heat the egg whites first to kill any bacteria. With the heating method, mix the egg white and lemon juice with a third of the sugar, heat in a microwave until the mixture's temperature is 160°F. Then remove from microwave, and beat in the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Using the powdered egg whites method, combine 1 Tbsp egg white powder with 2 Tbsp water. Proceed as you would otherwise. (Raw egg white alternatives from the 2006 Joy of Cooking)

If the icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar until you get the desired consistency. Fill a piping bag with the icing to pipe out into different shapes. (Or use a plastic sandwich bag, with the tip of one corner of the bag cut off.) Keep the icing covered while you work with it or it will dry out.

Now for those that like to watch and learn here is a special something just for you :)

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Travel Thursdays on Empty Streets: Italy

Italy, home the Vatican not to mention the place of romance and fine arts. If you are looking for a place to travel this Christmas and New Year Season and you want it to be a special one with the person you love then this is definitely the place to be.

The people and place both have a very distinct charm about them with beautiful people and sites to see not to mention the wonderful food. Shopping and touring the place is a definite must once you hit this wondrous place. One week is most likely the most amount of time one should be spending here however it may leave you feeling a bit winded as soon you'll find out that even that wouldn't be enough to see everything.

Here's a video from the Country of Italy to best show you what to else to expect in this amazing place of sounds, sights, smell, taste and of course touch.


Rome Travel Guide:

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Wednesday, 17 December 2008

Wellness Wednesday on Empty Streets: Antioxidants and the effects of Free Radicals


Antioxidants have been the talk of the town for quite sometime now and we see a lot of food and drinks that have been tagged as rich in antioxidants - however do we really know what these things do to our body and why is it really so important to use them to get rid of free radicals?

Antioxidants are derived from fruits and vegetables and based on the name itself is Anti-Oxidation, since the things we call free radicals are caused be degenerated cell molecules that have been affected by Oxygenation. A good example for this would be a cut apple left out in the open - observe how it quickly starts to turn brown - that is the effect of oxygenation in the body. Now free radicals are molecules that have lost a strong bond from it's pair molecule caused by oxygenation and it damages other molecular bonds by trying to steal what was lost and thus destroying the bond of the molecules it has stolen from - the result is a chain reaction.

Antioxidants have the ability to give back freely what was lost to these free radicals without having any adverse effect on them. This inadvertently stops the cycle. There have been extensive studies that have shown how free radicals have directly influenced the following diseases:
  • Cancer
  • Hardened Arteries
  • Arthritis
  • Edema
  • Advanced aging
Leading causes of free radicals are:
  • Pollution
  • Smoking
  • Lack of exercise
  • Lack of sleep
  • Unhealthy Diet
By now am sure I have you at the edge of your seats wondering where in the world can I find the cure to stop the spreads, where do I get my hands on these antioxidants? The answer is amazingly simple - Eat more fruits and vegetables - Berries in particular have the highest concentration of antioxidants. Several studies have been made and proven to a degree that a person's lifespan is directly proportional to the amount of antioxidants is present in the body. So if you want to age gracefully and live long it is strongly advised that you should start consuming a lot of fresh goodness and kick the bad habits that aggravate the production of free radicals.

Here's a video to help you see visually what occurs inside your body:

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Tuesday, 16 December 2008

Tech Tuesdays on Empty Streets: Dell Mini 9 Netbook

Dell has finally joined the band wagon of netbook makers and have released their version late this year called the Dell Inspiron Mini 9. A lot of Dell fanatics have been looking forward to what their favorite Dell brand had to offer and so far it has in more ways kept upto par with what is already being sold in the market - which to my point of view is a little too late though.

Here are the specifications of the Dell Inspiron Mini 9
  • 1.6GHz N270 Intel Atom Processor
  • 1GB DDR2 533MHz (1 DIMM)
  • Ubuntu 8.04 Linux with Custom Dell Interface (Includes Open Office) or XP
  • 8.9" 1024 x 600 WSVGA glossy LED backlit display
  • 16GB miniPCI SSD card
  • Intel GMA 950 Integrated Graphics
  • 802.11b/g Wi-Fi
  • 4-in-1 Media card reader
  • 1.3 Megapixel webcam, Dell Video Chat application, Dell Support Center
  • 4-Cell 32Wh Li-ion battery (14.8V)
  • Size: 9.2" x 6.8" x 1.3" (including feet)
  • Weight: 2lb 5.5oz (with 4-cell battery), 2lb 11.6oz (with battery and AC adapter)
Not bad as most people would say as it does offer a lot more in terms of what substandard Mini Netbooks have to offer but only had it been released a bit earlier. I say it is a bit late due to the main fact say for example just the memory internally is a 16Gb SSD while the others such as MSI Wind, ACER Aspire One, Lenovo, and HP have release 160GB up version of the netbook with roughly the same pricing or close to it of approximately around $400.

In terms of design and appeal it does have it's plus factors there though positioning the Function keys to be integrated with the regular keys and trying very hard to squeeze everything in could prove to be a blessing or a pain.

Overall since I prefer function over aesthetics sometimes, I would give this Dell Inspiron Mini a Total Gadget Grade Point Average of 7.5.

Here's a CNET First Look review to run you through what Dell Inspiron Mini has offered its Consumers:

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Friday, 12 December 2008

Sports Saturdays on Empty Streets: AJ Burnett signs $82.5 Million contract

The figures you saw in the title is absolutely correct. AJ Burnett of the Yankees has just finished signing a 5 year contract deal that will ensure him $82.5 Million dollars.

Here are some of the highlights of what he has done so far:
In eight full big league seasons, he has made 30-plus starts exactly twice. Both of those came in contract years. He has a Tommy John surgery on his résumé. However, he also has a no-hitter, a World Series ring, an 18-win season and two 200-strikeout campaigns on that very same résumé. A.J. Burnett easily set a career high by winning 18 games for the Blue Jays last season. He managed a 3.94 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP and more than a strikeout per inning in his three years in Toronto.

In short he does look promising to some extent and will most likely deliver as the new season starts but as with all ball games, we just have to wait and see.

AJ Burnett


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Food Fridays on Empty Streets: Xmas Cinnamon Cookies



It is that time of the year for to be merry and happy and nothing better brings in smiles than a batch of home cooked family cookies that is just to die for the moment it comes out of the oven. So to start the series on cookies to bake and make this Christmas I have decided to share with all of you one of my favorites - Cinnamon Cookies.

Here are the instructions on how to make this scrumptious treat:

Ingredients for about 80 cookies:

3 egg whites
8 oz. powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 drops almond extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
14 oz. ground almonds

Step by step procedure

1. Whip egg whites to a peak.
2. Sift powdered sugar and slowly add to egg whites.
3. Set aside 3 tablespoons of egg whites to decorate cookies.
4. Add vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon and ground almonds.
5. Put dough into a plastic bag and roll out to about 1/4 inch.
6. Refrigerate bag for about 15 minutes.
7. Cut bag open.
8. Cut out cookies with a 2 inch star shaped cookie cutter and transfer onto baking pan lined with parchment paper.
9. Brush cookies with egg whites
10. Bake at 250 F for approximately 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 210 F and bake for another 30 minutes.

Special note:
The brushed egg whites should remain white. (approximately 40 calories per cookie). You can use ground hazelnuts instead of ground almonds.

For those of you that are more visual in your learning style I have found this amazingly simple step by step video on how to make similar xmas cookies that you whole family can enjoy.



I do hope you enjoyed this treat. Please come back for more xmas recipes every Friday here on Empty Streets. Also try and browse around our streets and see what other interesting topics our empty streets has to offer you and am sure you'll find that we do have something for everyone. :)


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